Maryland same-sex marriage opponents report $88,000 in debt

Same-sex marriage supporters claim they raised more money on Tuesday than the Maryland Marriage Alliance did all month. Michael Key, Washington Blade

Opponents of Maryland’s same-sex marriage law on Monday reported that their campaign to spur a referendum on the issue is more than $88,000 in debt.

Documents that the Maryland Marriage Alliance filed with the Secretary of State on the same day it submitted 39,473 additional signatures to spur a November referendum show the group is $88,277.07 in the red.

Michael Key, Washington Blade

Same-sex marriage supporters claim they raised more money on Tuesday than the Maryland Marriage Alliance did all month.

The figure includes an unpaid invoice of $74,530.50 to MDPetitions.com, a petition signature collection company owned by Del. Neil Parrott (R-Washington County.)

The Maryland Marriage Alliance also reported to state officials that it has raised only $5,051.75, which includes three $250 donations that the National Organization for Marriage made on June 15.

Marylanders for Marriage Equality claimed on Twitter that it raised more money on Tuesday than the Maryland Marriage Alliance has so far this month.

The group seeking to defend the same-sex marriage law that Gov. Martin O’Malley signed in March did not provide a specific amount, but it raised roughly $20,000 at a fundraiser that Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake attended at a private home in the Charm City on Sunday.